The 5: Defining moments of the D-backs’ season so far

By Kevin Zimmerman | July 13, 2017 at 5:55 amUPDATED: July 13, 2017 at 11:29 am

A 53-36 start to the season has the Arizona Diamondbacks second in a competitive NL West and with the third best record in the majors.

Despite it marking the best start to this point in franchise history, it hasn’t come without some lows. But the D-backs responding to those lows with even more highs has been the theme, and it’s been more than contributions from four All-Stars that have got them to this point.

Five moments stand out not only for the exciting moments they were in a vacuum but what they say about the team at the midway point of 2017.

Opening the season against the San Francisco Giants on April 2, the Diamondbacks entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 5-4 before faces new and old rallied them with two outs.

Catcher Jeff Mathis doubled before infielder Daniel Descalso singled pinch-runner Jeremy Hazelbaker home to tie it. Then, after A.J. Pollock singled to move Descalso to third, Chris Owings laced one to right field to take the walk-off win at Chase Field.

In a way, it was a solid way to begin erasing the bad luck from the year prior, when they finished with a worse home record than road record.

SHELBY’S START, INJURY

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Shelby Miller’s nightmare 2016 season looked like it was in the rearview mirror.

Zack Godley wouldn’t take long to cement himself as Miller’s replacement and has since started 11 games, going 3-3 with a 2.58 ERA and 0.95 WHIP, both better than every other starter including All-Stars Ray and Greinke.

The streak had much to do with the left-hander’s rise into All-Star status this season.

After the shutout, Ray’s away ERA dipped to 0.64 through 42.1 innings to that point in the season. And with it, Ray was the first D-back to throw one with 10 or more strikeouts on the road since Randy Johnson tossed such a gem in 2004.

Unfortunately, the two home runs were overshadowed. A.J. Pollock injured his groin running to first base in the 10th inning, and Arizona fell to the Pirates with pitching Patrick Corbin manning an outfield spot and Zack Greinke pinch running.

That began a 44-game stretch without the D-backs’ starting center fielder, but in that disappointment developed another storyline. Arizona went 31-13 without Pollock, who returned for six games before the All-Star break and is batting .288 on the year.